Stop-clock



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. M. JOHNSON.

STOP CLOCK.

No. 429,132. v Patented June 3, 1890 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. M. JOHNSON.

STOP CLOCK. 'No. 429,132. Patented June 3, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT M. JOHNSON, OF SIGOURNEY, IO\VA.

STOP-CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,132, dated June 3, 1890. Application filed May 29,1889. Serial No. 312,588. (No mini.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBRET M. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sigourney, in the county of Keokuk and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Movements in Instantaneous Registers for Race-Courses; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains .to make and use the same.

This invention relates to time-registering devices for horses at races, for which the stopwatch has heretofore been commonly used; and it consists in an improved construction for accurately and instantaneously registering time, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side view of the mechanism of a register provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of certain details in the forward part of the machine. Fig. 3 is a front view of the dial. Fig. at is a plan view of details shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the device. Figs. 6 and 7 are views of certain details.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the main frame provided with vertical plates which are connected by horizontal pillars, as shown, and to the main frame at the front is rigidly secured a supplementary frame B.

0 indicates a master wheel which is mounted on a shaft D, and engages with a cage-wheel a, which is secured to a hollow shaft E, having bearings in the frame. A horizontal shaft F extends lengthwise through the hollow shaft E, and through the machine from front to rear.

011 the shaft D of wheel 0 is secured a wheel or pinion a, which engages with a large spur-wheel G on a shaft which carries a barrel II, to which is applied a weighted cord a which may be wound thereon, after the manner of winding a clock.

To the hollow shaft E is secured an escapewheel I, with which a pallet b engages, as in the escapement of a clock, the horizontal arbor c of the pallet being provided with an arm I), which extends downward and con nects loosely with the pendulum-rod J, which is hung to a loose bearing-piece c.

To the rear of the main frame near the top is secured a horizontal plate K, which forms a support for certain devices. A lever L is pivoted at d to a post carried by said plate K, the forward end of said lever extending into a slot 6 in a standard M, fixed to said plate. A spring-barN is fastened at one end to the top of the frame, the rear end of said bar extending into the slot 6 and being bent down so that it presses downward the inner end of lever L.

Oindicates a curved lever which is pivoted to supporting-braces P of the frame and is connected at its upper end with lever L by a link or rod f, which extends through an aperture in the plate K. The lower end of the lever O is slotted at g, as better shown in Fig. 4, to receive the rear end of the shaft F, which is provided with a shoulder or collar 72., which the lever 0 tends to press rearward. The extreme lower end of the lever O is bent upward, and is provided with an aperture through which a key may be passed to the end of the shaft F, as hereinafter set forth.

On the rear portion of the shaft F is placed a cylinder Q, of wood or other suitable material, which is provided with needles or sharp points i, which project from its front and rear faces. At the rear of cylinder Q a disk R is secured to the shaft F, and another disk R is placed forward of the cylinder and is secured to the hollow shaft E. The faces of the disks R R which are toward the intervening cylinder are provided with coverings of felt or other material suitable for receiving the points i, extending from the cylinder, so that by a slight movement forward of the shaft F the said cylinder and disks may be brought in connection, and rotary motion may be thus imparted from the hollow shaft E to the shaft F.

A dial S is secured in position at the front of the machine, the shaft F extending through the center and having the indicating-hand lsecured thereto. The outercircleof the dial is dividedinto seconds and fractions thereof, which are indicated by the hand 1, and the divisions of the inner circle represent minutes, the same being indicated by the hand 2. The said hand 2 extends from a tube or sleeve m, placed on said sleeve. An arm a is fastened to an up right of the supplementary frame B, and is provided at its outer end with bearings 0 for a bent rod p, which is loosely held in said bearings. (See Figs. 2 and 4.) To the upper end of the bent rod 1) is coupled an adjustable pawl g, which rests on and is adapted to connect with the toothed wheel T, the said pawl being provided with lugs '2' to prevent its lateral movement from said wheel. The lower portion of the bent rod pis extended from the bearings 0 to and over the shaft F, and on said shaft, near the inner end of said bent rod, is fastened a cam s, which is in the form of a collar and is provided with a pin a, which is in position to raise the bent rod as the shaft F is rotated. Thus the inner end of the rod 1) is raised once at each rotation of the shaft F, the effect of which is to draw the pawl g, which connects with the wheel T, and turn said wheel the width of one tooth, thus moving the hand 2 to indicate one minute. The pawl q is adjustable in its connection with the rod 1), as seen at t, and the device may be adjusted so that the hand 2 will register one half of a minute, if desired.

To control the turning of the wheel T by the pawl q, a weighted cord to is attached to one end of the bars or pillars of the frame B, and is wound once or twice about the sleeve 07?. By this means the wheel T is prevented from being turned farther than is required for the movement of the hand 2.

Thehand 1 may be turned to any point on the dial by means of a key t, which is provided for such "purpose, the rear end of the shaft F being squared to receive the corresponding key, by means of which the shaft may be turned.

Rotary motion being imparted from the clock mechanism to the hollow shaft E, the operator presses down the thumb-piece V of the lever L, and by the action of the curved lever O the shaftF is moved forward slightly and the cylinder Q is brought in contact with the disk R 011 the shaft E, the points on the forward end of said cylinder piercing the permeable felted surface of said disk. The shaft F, being thus engaged by the shaft E, is rotated and the hand 1 is turned, making one revolution a minute on the dial. The cam s on the shaft F, impinging against the bent rod 17, actuates the pawl q once at each revolution of said shaft, and turning the wheel T produces the required movement of the hand 2 on the dial. The thu1nb-piece V being released, the shaft F is immediately moved back out of engagement with the hollow shaft E by the operation of the springbar N and levers L and O and the movements of the hands on the dial are instantly stopped.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a stop-clock, the combination, with a frame, of a dial, a central shaft which is movable endwise and is provided with an indieating-hand, a hollow shaft through which said central shaft extends, said hollow shaft being provided with a disk which is provided with a soft or permeable surface, a cylinder provided with needles or sharp points and secured to said central shaft in position to connect with said disk, and operating mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The combination, with a clock mechanism, of a hollow shaft actuated thereby, a central shaft capable of longitudinal movement extending through said hollow shaft and provided with a seconds-hand, a cylinder secured to said central shaft and provided with needles or sharp points on its front and rear faces, two disks providedwith felted surfaces, one of said disks being secured to said hollow shaft and the other being secured to said central shaft in positions to be brought in connection with said cylinder, substantially as set forth and described.

The combination, with the central shaft provided with a cam s, of a wheel T, mounted 011 said shaft and provided with a sleeve m, carrying an indicating-hand, a fixed arm 71, provided with branch arms to afford bearings o for the bent rod 1), the said rod 2) loosely journaled in said bearings, so as to be engaged and operated by the cam on. the central shaft and having its upper branch provided with adj Listing-apertures for the attachment and adjustment of the pawl q, and the said pawl q connected with said bent arm and having its free end engaging the teeth of wheel T, all adapted to operate substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with a frame,of a hollow rotative shaft having hearings in said frame, a central shaft which is movable lengthwise and extends through said hollow shaft, a disk provided with a soft or permeable surface and secured to said hollow shaft, and a cylinder secured to said central shaft and provided with points which are in position to be connected with or disconnected from said disk by longitudinal movement of said central shaft, substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT M. JOHNSON.

'itnesses:

Wit. A. BELL, J. F. GIBBONS. 

